1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mount for attaching an electronic component to a rubber article, such as a tire, a conveyor belt, or the like.
2. Background Discussion
Various systems for marking pneumatic tires for automobiles and commercial vehicles have recently become known, which contain electronically stored and recallable data records for various parameters of the particular pneumatic tire, such as dimensions, manufacturer, type, internal pressure, among others. For example, transponders are commonly used that have at least one chip and one antenna, which are usually accommodated jointly in a shock-proof housing made, for example, of rather hard plastics, rubber or metal. In order to save space and obtain the longest possible service life, it is preferred to use inactive transponders which are only activated by an electromagnetic field created by an outer reader via the installed antenna. A drawback of this transponder type is that only the data stored at the time of a reading operation are available, that is, continuous monitoring of the internal tire pressure, for example, is not possible.
International Publication WO 01/25034 A1 discloses electronic components to display not only the tire-typical static data but also operating parameters, such as air pressure and temperature, which have an independent power supply (for example, a battery) enabling continuous storage and transmission of the data records characterizing the operating parameters. However, such systems are complex and sensitive to the tire loads occurring while driving so that they cannot only cause high cost but might also have a limited service life.
The attachment of the respective components or transponders to the interior surface of the respective pneumatic tire is problematic for all the known transponder systems. Since the electronic components usually encapsulated in a pressure-resistant housing are exposed to the tire flexing loads occurring while driving, the rubber body cured directly onto the tire is separated from the dimensionally stable housing of the electronic components after rather long driving routes or operating times of the tire, or both. Some tire manufacturers intend to fix the electronic components on the interior surface of a pneumatic tire so as to rather easily remove them and replace them with new ones after identified damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,683 discloses a mount system for electronic components, in particular for a transponder, where several pins provided with lateral teeth are fixedly connected to a rather firm large-area rubber ply. One side of the firm rubber base layer is provided with an adhesive layer which is adhered or cured to the optionally mechanically prepared interior surface of the tire. The electronic components, which consist of a chip and an antenna, are accommodated in a dimensionally stable, flat housing having at least one breakthrough. Using the breakthrough this housing is forced onto the protruding pins whose lateral teeth are to prevent unintended removal. A gap having a given gap width is provided between the bottom side of the rather pressure-resistant body and the top side of the rubber base layer to allow for certain balancing movements of the body. When the pneumatic tire is operated for a long time, great forces are also exerted on the elastically deformable pins of this attachment, which limits the service life of this support arrangement.
International Publication WO 03/070496 A1 discloses a mount arrangement for electronic components, in particular a transponder, on the inner side of a pneumatic tire, which contains a rubber ply cured directly onto the tire surface and accommodating the transponder or its pressure-resistant housing, or both. Another rubber ply serves as a cover. The transponder is fixed via what is called a Velcro closure whose loops are arranged at the lower rubber ply and whose hooks are disposed on the upper rubber ply.
German patent 102 43 441 discloses a transponder for tires having a mount arrangement, where at least one chip and one antenna are embedded in a shock-proof body referred to as a substrate. The substrate is decoupled by a connecting structure having a sort of sliding support from the inner side of the tire via a separating medium so as to prevent mechanical stresses, produced by flexing the tire while driving, from being transmitted to the substrate. However, on account of its mass, the substrate is subjected to considerable loads resulting from centrifugal force and extreme braking decelerations. In addition, problems arise from the direct attachment or curing of the connecting structure to the inner side of the tire on account of the high pressure and temperature loads prevailing in the tire production.
European Patent publication 936 089 A describes a mount for an electronic component, in particular a transponder, on the inner side of a pneumatic tire, which has a fully cured protruding rubber body provided with a support cup for the insertion of a transponder body. The body is fixed in the cup by means of adhesion of a screw thread.